Archive for the 'Postseason Bowls' Tag Under 'USC' Category

A few notes as USC wraps up its final practice of 2012 in advance of Monday's Sun Bowl...

-- Kennedy Polamalu, USC's offensive coordinator by title, said there haven't been any discussions about Coach Lane Kiffin giving up play-calling duties in 2013. During bowl preparations, Kiffin has given greater responsibilities to Polamalu and other offensive assistants.

-- USC got a big scare early in practice when Marqise Lee twisted to try to catch a pass, then stayed on the turf holding his knee. Lee got up after a couple minutes, flashed two thumbs up to reporters, did some light running on the sideline and was having his knee examined on a training table when reporters' allotted time in practice ended.

-- George Farmer returned to practice but Curtis McNeal didn't participate for a second consecutive day. His status for the Sun Bowl isn't yet known.

USC's football team has been the talk of this town, albeit not in a positive sense. The Trojans have set an unofficial NCAA record for most apologies in a single bowl season.

The double-edged sword of social media sliced the Trojans a couple times this month.

It seemed the Trojans had learned their lesson at the start of the month after linebacker Tony Burnett posted negative comments on Twitter about USC being selected to play in the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl. Burnett quickly apologized, as did Coach Lane Kiffin in his introductory El Paso press conference.

Yet on Wednesday night, freshman defensive lineman Leonard Williams tweeted his opinion of El Paso and used an expletive to describe the city. Williams quickly deleted the tweet and apologized profusely.

''I saw how the people of El Paso reacted to it, and I felt bad,'' Williams said Friday. ''I wasn't thinking. I'm not going to blame it on being a freshman but I'm human and I make mistakes. I just apologize about it and learn from it. Ever since then, I've been having fun.''

USC cornerback Nickell Robey said he remains undecided as to whether he will return to USC for his senior season or declare for the NFL Draft. Robey must make a decision by Jan. 15.

‘'I really don't know yet,'' Robey said. ‘'I've just got to wait until after this game and discuss it with people.''

Robey has at least one more challenge at USC, trying to stop Georgia Tech's ‘'flexbone'' option, run-heavy offense. USC coach Lane Kiffin has compared Georgia Tech to Oregon, in terms of how the teams run a small package of plays, but Robey pointed out at least one big difference.

‘'The quality of athletes is way different,'' Robey said. ‘'I feel like Oregon is way different and way (more) talented than Georgia Tech.''

At the same time, Robey praised the Yellow Jackets, whom he said run a basic package of ‘'eight good plays, and then run them very efficiently.''

Barring any last-minute mind-changing, the Trojans are expected to announce Thursday that Wittek, and not Matt Barkley, will start at quarterback in the Sun Bowl against Georgia Tech on New Year's Eve.

The Trojans held their first practice here Wednesday, and Barkley didn't participate. He joined teammates on the field for warmups but wore a jersey top and sweatpants, without helmet or pads. After practice, Coach Lane Kiffin said he would announce his starting quarterback after Thursday's practice.

It's not much of a secret. Asked Wednesday if he expected to start, Wittek said, ``It looks like it.''

There are two factors at work. One is Barkley's physical condition. He sprained his shoulder during the Nov. 17 game against UCLA and hasn't practiced since. The Sun Bowl will be played roughly six weeks after Barkley's injury took place, and a sprained shoulder can take up to eight weeks to fully heal.

USC practice is underway in El Paso, in preparation for Monday's Sun Bowl game against Georgia Tech. Media members were allowed to watch the start of practice without any restrictions on reporting, so here are a couple items of note...

-- Matt Barkley attended practice (photo above), but wore only a jersey top and sweatpants, without helmet or pads. Barkley did not throw with the rest of the quarterbacks and did conditioning drills as practice began. Barkley has not practiced since he suffered a sprained shoulder Nov. 17 against UCLA. USC had hoped Barkley might be able to start practicing today, but his non-activity makes it rather unlikely that he will be able to play in the Sun Bowl.

-- Players were allowed to travel on their own to El Paso, post-Christmas. Gerald Bowman and Anthony Sarao didn't make it for practice but are scheduled to get into town tonight. Xavier Grimble and Nickell Robey arrived at the practice field on their own, after the team arrived on buses.

-- USC is practicing on artificial turf, on a field used by several local high schools. Sun Bowl Stadium has an artificial-turf field.

Will USC quarterback Matt Barkley be ready to play in the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl against Georgia Tech? The situation remains murky.

Over the last couple weeks, Coach Lane Kiffin consistently said that he expected Barkley to play, but Kiffin did some minor back-pedalling Saturday when asked about Barkley's status. Barkley suffered a sprained shoulder in the Nov. 17 game against UCLA, an injury that can take up to two months to fully heal.

Barkley has attended practices but has not participated at all since his injury.

``We're going to look at it when we get down there (to El Paso), and see if he can practice,'' Kiffin said.

USC won't practice again until Wednesday in El Paso and will practice at least four times in advance of the Sun Bowl. If Barkley is unable to play, Max Wittek will start for a second consecutive game.

-- Nickell Robey and Robert Woods are still waiting to receive their NFL draft evaluations. Woods is expected to make his decision in the next couple weeks and Robey said he would consider going pro only if he projects as a first- or second-round pick.

-- Receivers coach Tee Martin said he is "recruiting" and encouraging Woods to stay for his senior season. Martin also joked that he is "still losing Twitter followers" after he decision to stay at USC rather than take a job at Tennessee, his alma mater.

-- Matt Barkley attended practice today but is still recovering from his sprained shoulder and won't practice until at least Wednesday. Max Wittek and Cody Kessler continue to share practice time, but Wittek will play in the Sun Bowl if Barkley is unable to play.

USC will practice this afternoon, plus Friday and Saturday, then take a Christmas break and travel to El Paso next Wednesday in advance of the Sun Bowl on New Year's Eve against Georgia Tech.

On Wednesday, the Trojans started installing their game plan, which on the defensive side will focus on stopping the Yellow Jackets' run-oriented "flexbone'' attack. It will be the final challenge for assistant head coach Monte Kiffin, who will resign after the game.

USC has its scout team trying to replicate Georgia Tech's rare offense, with walk-on running back Robert Mojica playing the role of Yellow Jackets quarterback Tevin Washington.

"I'm glad we have a lot of time," Coach Lane Kiffin said. "I don't know how people (prepare for) it in one week."

USC's football players are wrapping up fall-semester final examinations in the next couple days, but their studying will continue.

The Trojans will be taking upper-level courses in the ``flexbone'' offense, the preferred mode of attack of Georgia Tech, USC's opponent in the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl. The flexbone (or some variation of it) has been around for decades, but Georgia Tech is the only major-college program that runs it now.

In contrast to the wide-open, pass-happy spread offenses of the Pac-12 Conference, the Yellow Jackets have run the ball on 80.2 percent of their offensive plays this season.

Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington leads his team in carries, but also has the options to hand off to a running back or flip the ball to a wingback. Washington has attempted only 128 passes in 12 games.

USC's ability to seal gaps and tackle well will be critical, and the Trojans will use the next couple weeks of practice to prepare for an offense that few of them have ever seen.

Coach Lane Kiffin said Sunday that he has not yet interviewed any candidates for USC's defensive-coordinator opening, and doesn't plan to do so until after the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl.

Monte Kiffin, the coach's father and USC's current assistant head coach and defensive architect, will resign after the bowl game. Ed Orgeron, USC's defensive coordinator by title, will become assistant head coach but with the same responsibilities, and USC will go outside for a new coordinator to replace Monte Kiffin.

A couple months ago, Lane Kiffin publicly floated the idea that he might cede offensive play-calling duties to an assistant coach, but that seems unlikely to happen. Kennedy Polamalu is technically USC's offensive coordinator, and unless one of the current assistants leaves, USC has no room on its staff for another coach, per NCAA rules.